Questions Regarding Mary Surratt

[RJNorton]

(07-27-2016 09:27 AM)Dennis Urban Wrote:  1. Has the clear identity of the roughly 9 PM visitor to Mary at the boarding house on April 14 ever been established? Did anyone other than Weichmann say it was Booth? Other theories have been offered by other authors but I've not read anything definitively.

Hi Dennis. Weichmann writes that when the detectives left on the morning of the 15th Anna Surratt cried out, "Oh, Ma! Mr. Weichmann is right; just think of that man (John W. Booth) having been here an hour before the assassination. I am afraid it will bring suspicion upon us."

At the trial Weichmann denied knowledge of who the visitor was. In his book, however, he clearly indicates it was Booth.

Dennis, I have stated in previous discussions that I feel the visitor was definitely Booth.

However, I must admit my opinion may be in the minority on this forum.

Years ago I wasn't clear on this visitor being JWB, but Kate Larson's book made me feel it was Booth. It just seems logical to me that Mary was given an errand to do, and JWB would want to check to see if she succeeded. Plus her behavior after the visitor departed (as described by Weichmann and Smoot) makes me think it was indeed Booth she just saw.

This is just my personal opinion. Unless new information is uncovered I do not think we can know 100% for certain who the visitor was. The answer to this mystery may be lost to history.
I think authors who say Booth was the 9 P.M. visitor depend on Weichmann as their source. For example, Art Loux includes the Booth 9 P.M. visit in his book but says his source is Weichmann.